Engine starter



Oct. 15, 1935.- F. H. PRESCOTT 2,017,074

' ENGINE STARTER Original FiledxMay 29, 1951 4 4 7A 5 42 CUT-OUT PELA) 3/ k I To :1 m/v/r/a/v =T\4/ is: I

CLUTCH PEDAL 70 9s s9 o/vf-w/lv alarm 3/ gww/nkw Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNlTEl) STATES PATENT DFFlClE.

aomm ENGINE s'raa'ran ware Application May 29, 1931, W No. 540,845 Renewed August 81, 1934 8'Claims. (c1. zoo-m This invention relates to electrical apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine for propelling an automotive vehicle.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to control the engine starting apparatus in response to' the control of other electrical apparatus associated withthe engine such as the ignition apparatus, for example, and also to control the engine starter in response to the operation of 10 some mechanical device associated with the engine which device might be operated to advantage to facilitate the starting of the engine. One such device is the clutch pedal which may be depressed to disconnect the engine from the transmission thus releasing the starting motorirom driving any more than is necessary during engine cranking. The present invention embraces cipal purpose of the present invention to pro-' vide means for preventing the use of the engine starter while the engine is running on its own power. This purpose is accomplished by provid- 5 ing electro-magnetic means associated with the storage battery and battery charging generator driven by the engine in such manner that the electro-magnetic means is rendered effective on current from the battery alone to cause the start- 30 ing motor to be connected with the engine and to crank the engine, said electro-magnetic means being non-operative while the generator is being driven by thesengine at an appreciable rate of speed. 35 AS a further safeguard against operation of the starting apparatus while the engine is running the present invention provides means responsive to engine suction for locking the engine starting apparatus against operation, this means being" 40 effective to prevent operation of the starter so long as the engine is running, even if the genera- 50 Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram illustrating a form.

of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary showing of a modification thereof.

In the diagram the engine is represented by a '55 f y-wheel gear adapted be engaged by a pintop of the diaphragm.

ion 2| connected by a one-way roller clutch 22 with a longitudinally splined shaft 23 driven by an electric motor 24 having a ground connection 25 and connected with a switch contact 26. Contact 26 is connected with a contact 28 by a movg able contact 21 actuated by a button 29 which is operated by means later described against the action of a compression spring 30. The contact 28 is mnne'cted by a wire II 'with' a storage batfew 32 grounded at 33. A generator 40 driven by 10 the engine is grounded at ll and is connected by a wire 42 with a cut-out. or reversely ground relay which in turn is connected by a wire 44 with wire ll.

The ignition apparatus of the engine is not 15 shown but it will be understood that it is connected with the generator 40 or battery 3! by switch ill also connected by wire 5i with a switch contact 52 adapted to be connected by the movable contact 3 with a switch contact 54. The 20 contact I] is actuated against a compression spring SI by a switch button 56 located inthe path of movement of a lug li'l projecting from the automotive clutch pedal 58 which is pivoted at 59 in the usualmanner. The contact 54 is con- 25 nected bya wire 60 with a magnet winding 6i connected by wire 02 with wire 42 at a point'between the generator 40 and cut-out relay 43. The magnetic winding 6i operates with a magnetizable armature 63 carried by preferably a magnetizable bar I which passes through the coil 6|. The left end of bar 64 carries a pin 65 received by a notch it in the upper end of a lever 61 pivoted at 68 and carrying on its lower s end a stud 69 received by a groove It in the pne-way clutch 22. A spring ll yieldably urges the lever 61 against a stop I2, in which position of the lever, the pinion 2| is maintained out of engagement with the gear 20. The lever 61, not only effects engagement. of the pinion 2| with gear 2| but is located so as to operate the switch button 2|, when the lever is rocked in a clockwise direction by the operation of the magnet which is controlled in. a manner more specifically described hereinafter.

The right end of the bar 54 is provided with a notch ll adapted to receive a plunger or rod 8| slidable' through a bearing 82 provided in the periphery of which is clamped on the flange 85 at the top of the cup 83, by a cover 86 having a vent 81, to admit atmospheric pressure to the A spring 88 bearing against the bottom wall of the cup 83 and against a head 30 of the rod 8| urges the dia phragm 34 upwardly and locates the rod 3| so that its lower end is above and clear of 'the notch 80. The space within thecup 33 and below the diaphragm 34 provides a suction chamber connected by pipe 9| with the intake manifold 32 of the engine.

The operation of the present invention is as follows: the operator first closes the ignition switch 50 to connect the ignition apparatus with the storage battery 32. He then depresses the clutch pedal 53 and the lug 51 is causedto engage the button 56 thereby moving contact 53 into engagement with contacts 52 and 54. when this occurs the magnetic coil 6| will be energized and will attract the armature 63 toward the right, moving lever 61 clockwise, and the clutch 22 and pinion 2| toward the left along the splined shaft 23. During the meshing of the pinion 2| with the fly wheel gear 20 the lever 61 engages the switch button 29 and is therefore effective to move the contact 21 into engagement with contacts 26 and 28' when the pinion 2| and gear 20 are properly engaged thereby connecting the starting motor 24 with the battery 32. The motor 24 will, therefore, operate to crank the engine through the mechanical connections provided betweenthe splined shaft 23 and the clutch 22, between the clutch 22 and the pinion 2|, and between the pinion 2| *and the fly wheel gear 20.

When the engine becomes self-operative the suction in the intake manifold will be suiiicient to cause the rod ii to move downwardly against the spring 33 until the rod engages the upper surface of the bar 84. As the generator speed increases and its voltage therefore increases, the voltage impressed by the generator 40 upon the-coil 6| will oppose the voltage impressed by the battery 32 upon the coil 8| thereby weakening the E. M. F. of the coil 6| to such an extent that the spring ll becomes effective to move the lever 31 counterclockwise and the rod 84 toward the left thereby demeshing the pinion 2|.. from the engine gear 20 and thereby moving the bar ll into such position that the starting apparatus cannot be operated through the agency of the magnet 6|. As the lever 61 is moved counterclockwise in the manner described the rod II is snapped into the notch 30 in the bar 64 by the action of engine suction, and thus locks the bar against movement as long as the engine ,coil 6| ineffective during engine operation.

Also the operator will normally release the clutch pedal 33 as soon as the engine fires but should he fail to do so the demeshing of the pinion 2| from the engine gear will take place in the manner described. Failure to release the clutch pedal promptly after starting the" engine can do no harm except to decrease slightly the amount of current flowing from the generator to the storage battery and ignition apparatus. By making the coil 8| of a relatively large number of turns of fine wire the coil resistance will be made suiiicient to cause the amount of current flowing'from the generator to be relatively small. Under these conditions the clutch pedal control of the coil 8| might be eliminated, the wire ll being connected directly with the wire ,3! by a wire BIA indicated bydot and dash lines in the diagram.

In this case the starting apparatus would be controlled solely by the ignition switch.

Instead of applying the clutch pedal control of the engine starting apparatus to a switch in series with the controlling magnet 5| the clutch 5 pedalmight be used to control the switch located in series with the starting motor switch provided with contacts 26, 2? and 28. More specifically a circuit wire 3| could be interrupted between points A and B and these points could be con- 10 nected by a switch operated by the clutch pedal. As shown in Fig. 2 points A and B are connected with contacts 93 and 34 respectively, adapted to be bridged by a' movable contact 95 carrying a button 96 located in the path of movement of 15 the lug 51 of the clutch. pedal 58 and actuated thereby against the action of the compression spring 91. When the clutch pedal operated switch is employed the clutch circuit of the magnet 6| is omitted, wires 5| and 60 being 20 jointed by wire 5|A.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the 25 scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

. 1. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles, comprising in combination, a current source, a starting motor, a switch for effecting 30 the connection of the current source and the motor, automatic means for controlling the operation of said switch, said means including a generator, and an electromagnet having a coil subject to the difference between the voltages of said 35 source and said generator, and a positive lock for preventing actuation of the automatic means during operation of the engine.

2. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles, comprising in combination, a current source, a starting motor, a switch for effecting the connection of the current source and the motor, automatic means for controlling the operation of said switch, said means including a generator, and an electromagnet having a coil sub- :Iect to the difference between the voltages of said source and said generator, and a second switch for rendering said first mentioned switch e1.- fective, said second switch being constructed and arranged to be operated by the vehicle clutch pedal, and a lock for holding the electromagnet in switch open position during operation of the engine independently of the generator.

3. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles; comprising in combination, a current 55 source, a starting motor, a switch for effecting i the connection of the current source and the mo r, automatic means for controlling the operation of said switch, said means including a generator, and an electromagnet having a coil subject to the difference between the voltages of said source and said generator, a second switch for controlling operation of said first mentioned switch, said second switch being constructed and arranged to be operated by the vehicle clutch pedal, and suction operated means preventing operation of said first named switch on operation of the clutch pedal while the engine is running.

4. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles comprising, in combination, a current source, a starting motor, a switch for effecting the connection of the current source with said motor, automatic means for controlling the operation of said switch, said means including a generator, an electromagnet controlled by the the connection of the current source generatorandadaptedtoopenandolosethe switch and a positive'lock for preventing any operation of the electromagnet when the engine is nmningunderitsownpow ,irrespectiveoithe action of the generator.

5. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles comprising, in combination, a current a starting motor, a switch tor en'ecting the connection or the current source with said motor, automatic means for controlling the operation of said switch, said means including a generator, an electromagnet'controlled by the generator and adapted to open the switch of the starting motor when the generator is charging at a predetermined rate, and means for positively locking the electromagnet in switch open position after it has been so moved by action of the gencratesand maintaining it locked in this position as long as the engine continues to run under its own power irrespective of the action 01 the generator.

6. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles comprising. in combination, a current source, a starting motor, -a' switch for eiiecting motor, automatic means for controlling the operation of said switch, said means including a generator, an electromagnet controlled by the generator and adapted to open the switch of the motor, when the generator is charging at a predetermined rate and means operated by with said 3 engine suction'for positively locking the electromagnet in switch open position after it has been so moved by action of the generator and maintaining it locked in this position as long as the engine continues to run under its own power 1r- 5 respective oithe action of the generator.

7. Engine starting apparatus for automotive vehicles, comprising in combination, a current source, a starting motor, a circuit between the starting motor and the current source, a switch for closing said circuit, a generator, automatic means for. operating said switch including an electromagnet having a coil subject to the dif- Ierence between the voltages 01' said current source and generator. and means operable by the engine for preventing operation of said magnet during operation of the engine.

8. Engine starting apparatus for internal combustion engines of automotive vehicles, comprising in combination. a current source, a starting motor, a circuit between the starting motor and the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, a generator, automatic means for operating said switch including an electro-magnet having a coil subject to the diflerence between the voltages of the current source and the generator, an ignition switch and a switch operable by the vehicle clutch 4 pedal for controlling theoperation of said magnet and means operable by the engine for preventing operation of the magnet during engine operation.

FRANK H.- PRESCOTT.

DISCLAIMER 2,017,074 .Frank H. Prescott, Anderson, 'Ind. ENGINE STARTER. Patent dated October 15, 1935. Disclaimer filed October 27, 1938, by the patentee; the assigne'e, General Motors Corporation, consenting. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 4, 5, and 6.

[Ofiic'ial Gazette November 22, 1.938.]

DISCLAIMER 2,017,074 .Frank H. Prescott, Anderson, 'Ind. ENGINE STARTER. Patent dated October 15, 1935. Disclaimer filed October 27, 1938, by the patentee; the assigne'e, General Motors Corporation, consenting. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 4, 5, and 6.

[Ofiic'ial Gazette November 22, 1.938.]

DISOLAI M ER 2,0I7,074 .Frahk H. Prescott, Anderson, 'Ind. ENGINE STARTER. Patent dated -October 15, I935.- Disclaimer filed October 27, 1938, by the patentee; the A assigne'e, General Motors Corporation, consenting. Hereboy enters this disclaimer to claims 4, 5, and 6. flicial Gazette November 22, 1988.1 

